Owners to hear of quake strengthening

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Waikato building owners will next week be given more information on how they will potentially have to strengthen their buildings following the Christchurch quake.

The Ministry of building innovation and Employment will hold a public meeting on Monday as part of consultation on building seismic performance.

The proposals, which were put forward following the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission would require all non-residential and multi-unit, multi-storey residential buildings to have a seismic capacity assessment done within five years. Owners of buildings identified as earthquake-prone would then have up to 10 years to strengthen or demolish these buildings.

The commission reported that an estimated 15,000 to 25,000 buildings, about 8 to 13 per cent of all non- residential and multi-unit, multi- storeyed residential buildings around the country, may currently be classified as earthquake-prone.Monday's meeting, attended by the mayor and council staff will be held at 5.30pm at the Hamilton City Council reception lounge.